18 Sometime afterwards, David attacked and defeated the Pelishtim, subduing them, and he captured the Pelishti city of Gat and its surrounding villages. 2 Then he attacked and defeated Moav (Moab), and the Moavim became servants to David—taking him regular tribute.

3 Next David attacked and defeated King Hadadezer of Tsovah-Hamat, when that king had tried enforce his control at the Perat (Euphrates) River. 4 David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot-soldiers from him. And David hamstrung all but one hundred of the chariot horses.

5 When the Arameans (or, Aramim (Syrians) ) came from Damesek (Damascus) to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them. 6 Then David established forces in the Aramean town of Damesek, and the Arameans became servants to David, taking him regular tribute. So Yahweh helped David wherever he went. 7 David took the gold shields that were used by Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Yerushalem (Jerusalem). 8 He also took a lot of bronze from Hadadezer’s cities of Tivhat and Kun. (Later, Shelomoh (Solomon) used it to make the huge bronze basin called ‘the sea’, along with its pillars and other bronze items.)[ref]

9 When King Toeu from Hamat heard that David had defeated King Hadadezer’s entire army from Tsovah, 10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David carrying various items of gold, silver, and bronze. Hadoram went to ask David for peace and to bless him because he’d fought against Hadadezer and struck him down, because Toeu had also been at war with Hadadezer. 11 King David set that apart as holy to Yahweh, along with the gold and silver that he’d brought back from other nations: from Edom, from Moav (Moab), from the Amonim, from the Pelishtim, and from the Amalekim.

12 Avishay (whose mother was Tseruyah) defeated Edom in the Salt Valley, killing eighteen thousand of them.[ref] 13 Then David stationed garrisons in Edom, and all of Edom became his servants. And Yahweh saved David wherever he went.

14 So David ruled over all of Yisrael (Israel) and administered justice and did what was right for all his people. 15 Tseruyah’s son Yoav (Joab) led the army, and Ahilud’s son Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat) was the record keeper. 16 Ahituv’s son Tsadok and Evyatar’s son Ahimelek were priests, and Shavsha was the secretary. 17 Yehoyada’s son Benayah supervised the Keretim and Peletim who were David’s bodyguards, and David’s sons were his leading officials.

8 Sometime later, David attacked the Pelishtim and defeated them, and he captured Meteg-Ha’amah from them.

2 Then he defeated the Moavim. David forced them to lie on the ground and used a length of rope to decide their fate—those inside two lengths of the rope were killed, and those inside the third length were spared and so the Moavim became David’s servants—bringing him tribute.

3 Then David defeated Tsovah’s King Hadadezer (son of Rehov) who had tried to reestablish his authority over the Perat (Euphrates) River. 4 David captured 1,700 horsemen and twenty thousand men on foot. He hamstrung all the chariot horses except for a hundred of them.

5 Then the Arameans came from Damesek (Damascus) to help Tsovah’s king Hadadezer but David killed twenty-two thousand of them. 6 David stationed garrisons in Aram (Syria) (in Damesek) and the Arameans became David’s servants—bringing him tribute, and Yahweh helped David win wherever he went. 7 David confiscated the gold shields that Hadadezer’s servants carried and brought them to Yerushalem (Jerusalem). 8 He also brought a large amount of bronze out of Hadadezer’s cities of Betah and Berotah.

9 When Hamat’s King Toeu heard that David had defeated Hadadezer’s entire army, 10 he sent his son Yoram (Joram) to ask for peace for Hamat and to congratulate him for fighting Hadadezer and defeating him because Hadadezer often battled against Toeu. Yoram brought containers with him, made of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David dedicated them to Yahweh, along with the silver and gold that he’d taken from all the nations that they’d conquered: 12 from Aram and Moav (Moab), from the Amonim and the Pelishtim, and from Amalek and from the plunder of Tsovah’s King Hadadezer (son of Rehov).

13 Then David made more of a name for himself when he returned from defeating eighteen thousand Arameans in the Salt Valley.[ref] 14 He stationed garrisons throughout Edom and made the people his servants, and Yahweh protected David wherever they fought.

15 So David reigned over all Yisrael (Israel) and led all his people with justice and integrity. 16 Tseruyah’s son Yoav (Joab) was the army commander and Ahilud’s son Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat) was the secretary. 17 The priests were Ahituv’s son Tsadok and Evyatar’s son Ahimelek, and Serayah was secretary. 18 Yehoyada’s son Benayah supervised the Keretim and the Peletim (David’s bodyguard), and David’s sons were his administrators.